Clothes-drying apparatus



Oct- 13, 1953 s. E. MANECKE CLOTHES-DRYING APPARATUS Filed May l2, 1951FIGI.

DRY

oFFso 5o qoDAfMPzo lo off oFF INVENTOR Sxegfred E. Munecke L' FHBB.

o" 53 on off 32 on TTORN EY Patented Qct. 13, 1953 CLOTHES-DarmeAPPARATUS Siegfried E. Manecke, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor` toWestinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporationof Pennsylvania Application May 12, 1951, Serial No. 226,037

(Cl. Sli-45) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes drying apparatus and has for an objectto provide improved apparatus of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate adjustment of theapparatus for the damp drying or complete drying of the clothes beingtreated.

In practicing the invention, a motor-driven timer is provided for thecontrol of the air circulating motor and the air heating means of thedryer. For damp drying of the load, the timer is adjusted from aninactive position to selective active stations for varying the durationof the periods of operation of the air circulating motor and the airheating means. Accordingly, the amount of moisture remaining in theclothes may be Varied, as desired, to best condition the clothes forimmediate ironing. When storing of the clothes as they come from thedryer is desired, substantially all moisture should be removed. For thisoperation, the timer may be adjusted to an additional station whereinthe air heating means and air circulating means are operated while themotor of the timer is deenergiaed. Thermostatic means is provided forstarting operation of the timer motor only when the temperature of theair within the drying chamber is elevated to a predetermined valueobtaining when the load is completely dried. Operation of the timingmotor then terminates operation of the air heating means. Preferably,operation of the air circulating motor continues for a period to coolthe clothes. Finally, the air circulating motor and the timer motor aredeenergized to terminate the drying cycle.

The foregoing and other objects are eiected by my invention as will beapparent from the following description and claims taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a clothes dryer controlled inaccordance with this invention, portions of the dryer being showndiagrammatically for the sake of clearness and brevity;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the control apparatus for the dryershown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of operation of thecontrol switches shown in Fig. 2.

Reference will now be had to Fig. l of the drawlng, wherein I haveelected to show my invention applied to a clothes dryer of the so-calleddomestic type and generally of conventional construction. This type ofdryer usually includes a Vcasing structure I having a generallycylindrical baffle II arranged therein for enclosing a drying chamberI2. The drying chamber I2 is provided with an air inlet duct I3 forconveying heated air to the chamber I2 and an air discharge duct I 4 forconveying vitiated moist air therefrom. A generally cylindrical basketI5 is arranged Within the drying chamber I2 and mounted for rotationabout a horizontal axis. It will be understood that the cylindrical sidewall of the basket is perforate substantially throughout its extent forthe passage of air from the air inlet duct I3 through the basket I5 tothe discharge duct I4. The basket I5 is preferably provided with aplurality of radially inwardly extending vanes I6 for tumbling thefabrics during the drying operation. The casing I0 and basket I5 haveopenings (not shown) formed therein for providing access to the interiorof the basket I 5.

The basket is suitably journaled in the casing I0 for rotation about ahorizontal axis and is driven by a sheave I'I belted, as shown at I8, toan electric motor I9 supported by the bottom of the casing I0. The motorI9 also functions to drive a blower runner 2I which is arranged Within ablower housing 22. The latter is provided with an air inlet opening 23which communicates with the space within the casing I0, which spacereceives air from the surrounding atmosphere through openings 24 formedin the casing side Wall. The blower housing 22 discharges into agenerally horizontal duct 25 Within which an electric heater 26 ofsuitable construction is disposed for heating the air discharged by therunner 2 I. The heated air passes through the duct I3 to the dryingchamber I2 and to the interior of the basket I5 for contacting thetumbling fabrics.

In accordance with my invention, operation of the air circulating motorI9 and the air heater 26 is under control of a timing mechanism,indicated generally at 21, and a thermostaticallyoperated switch 28. Thelatter is open when relatively cool and is actuated to its closedposition in response to a predetermined high temperature of the airwithin the drying chamber I2. When damp drying of the clothes is desiredfor the immediate ironing thereof, the control of the motor I9 andheater 26 is eiected solely by the timer 21. When complete or bonedrying of the clothes is to be effected, the motor I9 and heater 25 arecontrolled conjointly by the timing mechanism 2l and thethermostatically-operated switch 2B.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 2 of the drawing whichdiagrammatically shows the con-- struction of the timing mechanism 21and the wiring of the dryer. 'I'he source of power for the apparatus isrepresented by line conductors L1, Lz and N which usually is an Edisonthree wire circuit having a potential of 230 v. between the conductorsL1 and L2 and a potential of 115 v. between the conductorsL1 and L2 andthe neutral conductor N. The timer 21 includes a plurality of switches3|, 32 and 33 which are opened and closed by respective cams 34, and 36.The latter are carried by a rotatable shaft 31 which is driven by atiming motor 38 of the type usually employed for the operation ofclocks. A speed reducing mechanism, generally indicated at 39, isinterposed between the motor 38 and the shaft 31. The shaft 31 may alsobe manually rotated by a knob 4| and, to permit this operation, a slipclutch, indicated at 42, is interposed between the shaft 31 and thespeed reducing mechanism 39.

As clearly shown in Fig- 2, the stationary con- 4tact of the switch 32`is Vdirectly connected to the line conductor L2 while the movableycontact thereof is directly connected to one terminal of the heater 26.Thev opposite terminal of lthe heater 26 `is connected by a conductor43` to the stationary contact .of switch 33. The movable contact ofswitch 33 is connected byv means of a conductor 44 with one terminal ofthe timing motor 38, the opposite terminal of which is 4directlyconnected to. the. neutral conductor N. The stationary contact of 'theswitch 3| is directly connected to one terminal of the motor |.9 -bymeans of a conductor which is electrically connected also tov theconductor 43 by a conductor 40. The movable contact of switch 3| isdirectly connected, as shown, to `the line conductor L1. Thethermostatically-operated switch 2.8 is. connected across theconductors. 44 and 45 and, when closed, completes a shunt across thecontacts of the switch 33. As shown, a thermostatically-operated safetyswitch 46- may be disposed in the conductor 43 for deenergizing theheater 26 if the. temperature of the air heated thereby exceeds apredetermined value. As shown in Fig.. 1, the safety thermostat may bedisposed in the duct 2.5 on the downstream. side of the heater 26..

Asv shown. in Fig.. 2, the knob 4| is. provided with indicia whichregisters with a. fixed pointer 41. The indicia appearing on the knob 4|includes two inactivef or off positions, asv shown, and a Dry positionwhich. is moved opposite the index. 41 when ak com-plete or bone-dryingoperation is to be completed The ind-icia on the knob 4| also, includesa series indicated as 10, 2,0, 30, 40, 50 and 60, which representsminutes. of operation. It is the latter indicia which is brought inregistry with the index 41 when damp drying of the clothes is toV beeffected. Of course, when adjusted to the-mi-nute position a greateramount of moisture will be evaporated from the fabrics in the dryer thanwhen adjusted for shorter periods of operation.

As, shown in the drawing, the control is, in its inactive or offposition and Ythe switches 31|., 32 andV 33 are maintained open by lobesformed on the cams 34, 35 and 36 and indicated respectively at 34`a 35aand 36a. In adjusting theV knob 4| clockwise, as shown in Fig. 2, thelobes of the cams 34, 35 and 36 move from beneath their respectivevswitches 3|, v32 and 33 which now close. Accordingly, the main heater215 is. energized through. a. circuit including the line. conductor CilLz, switch 32, heater 26, safety thermostat 4B, conductors 43, 4U and45, switch 3| and the line conductor L1. The main motor is alsoenergized through the circuit including line conductor L1, switch 3|,conductor 45, motor |9 and conductor N. We are now assuming that thecontrol is adjusted to one of its damp-dry settings, for example, thel0-minute setting. The timer motor will also be energized through acircuit extending from the line conductor L1, switch 3|, conductors 45,40 and 43, switch 33, timer motor 38 and the line conductor N.

Operator of the dryer will continue for 40 minutes during which time aportion of the moisture in the fabrics being dried is evaporated and adesired amount remains therein in accordance with the operators wishes.It is understood, at this time, that the thermostatic switch 28 remainsopen as the temperature within the drying chamber I2 during avdamp-drying operation is Vnot. elevated to the. temperature value atwhich the thermostat 28 is adjusted to close. At the end of the 40minutes operation, in the example given, ,a cam lobe 35h opens switch32, whereupon the. main heater 26 isy deenergized. Operation of the mainmotor and the timer continues, however, for about 5 minutes in order tocool the fabrics which have been damp dried. At the. end ofv this-minute period, earn lobes 34h vand 36h open their respective switches3|. and 33 for terminating operation of the motor I9 andthe timer motor38. At this time, the timer .21 .is disposed in its second inactive or"0| position.

If a complete or bone-drying operation is. to be effected, the timer isadjusted to the Dry position wherein. all three switches 3|, 32 and 33.are closed. Accordingly, heating of the air is effected as well ascirculationof the heated air and operation of the timer is carried outfor a period of about 15 minutes.. At .the end of this period ofoperation, a lobe 36e on vthe cam 36 opens the switch 33 and terminatesoperation of the timer 38. Accordingly, the drying operation continueswith the timer motor 38y inactive until a predetermined high temperatureof, for example, l65 F. effects the closing of the thermostat 28. VThisis the temperature which prevails when the clothes are completely dried.The closing of the thermostat 28 initiates operation of the timer motor38 through a shunt circuit which may be traced from the line conductorL1, the closed switch 3| conductor 45, thermostat 28, Conductor 44,timer motor 38 and conductor N. When the lobe 36e rides from beneath theswitch 33, the latter closes vto. complete the parallel timer motorcircuit, as described heretofore. At this time, the lobeV 35a moves theswitch 32 to its o position for deenergizing the mainheater 2|. The mainmotor |.9 continues in operation for. circulating cooling air throughthe dryer until the cam lobes 34a and 36a move their respective switches3| and 33 to open position, thereby rendering the dryer inactive. Thecontrol is now in the off position illustrated in Fig. 2. The sequenceof operation of the switches 3|, 32 and 33 may be clearly followed byreference to the chartin Fig. 3.

From the foregoing, it will bey apparent that I have provided animproved control for a clothes dryer including a timing mechanism whichmay be adjusted for various predetermined periods of operation to obtaindifferent degrees vof drying of the. fabrics. Operation of the timingmechanism, when adjusted to completely dry the fabrics. being treated,is under control of a thermostat responsive to the temperature of theair in the drying chamber so that the timing mechanism functions toterminate a drying operation only when the thermostat reiiects atemperature obtaining when the fabrics are completely dried. The controlhas but a single handle for operation by the operator and the thermostatmay be of the nonadjustable type. This control may be readily andeconomically produced and is reliable in operation.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications Without departing from the spiritthereof.

What I claim is:

1. In clothes drying apparatus, the combination of means defining adrying chamber for the material to be dried, means for circulating airthrough said chamber, means for heating the air, control means forenergizing and deenergizing the air heating and air circulating means, atiming motor for operating the control means, said control meansincluding an element for controlling energization of the timing motor,manually operated means for adjusting the control means from an inactivestation to an active station for energizing the air heating and aircirculating means and means responsive to a predetermined hightemperature of the air in the drying chamber for energizing the timingmotor for a predetermined period of time, said control meansdeenergizing the air heating and air circulating means during operationof the timing motor and said element deenergizing the timing motor atthe conclusion of said predetermined period of time independently of thetemperatureresponsive means.

2. In clothes drying apparatus, the combination of means dening a dryingchamber for the material to be dried, means for translating air throughsaid chamber, means for heating the air, control means for starting andstopping operation of the air heating means and the air translatingmeans, a timing motor for driving the control means, a control elementdriven by the timing motor for the control thereof, manually operatedmeans for moving the control means and control element from an inactiveposition to selective positions thereof for the operation of the timingmotor, the air ltranslating means and the air heating means for selectedperiods of time at the conclusion of Which operation of the air heatingmeans, the air translating means and timing motor is terminated, saidcontrol means being movable to an additional active position for theoperation of the air heating means and the air translating means, andmeans effective in said additional active position of the control meansfor initiating operation of the timing motor in response to apredetermined high temperature of the air in the drying chamber. saidtiming motor then operating for a predetermined period of time undercontrol lof said control element and said control means terminatingoperation of the air heating means and air translating means during saidoperation of the timing motor.

3. In clothes drying apparatus, the combination of means dening a dryingchamber for material to be dried, motor driven means for circulating airthrough the drying chamber, electrical means for heating the air, atiming mechanism including switching means for controlling energizationof the air heating means and said air circulating means, a timing motorfor driving the switching means and a switch controlling the timingmotor and driven thereby, means for adjusting said timing mechanism froman inactive position to an active position wherein said switch andswitching means are closed, said switch being opened after apredetermined period of time for terminating operation of the timingmotor and thermostatically-operated switching means for energizing thetiming motor for a second period of operation in response to apredetermined high temperature of the air within said drying chamber,said switching means being actuated to Ideenergize the air heating andthe air circulating means during said second period of operation of thetiming motor, and said switch terminating the second period of operationof the timing motor independently of the thermostatically-operatedswitching means.

SIEGFRIED E. MANECKE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

